A Catholic Jew Pontificates: Apollo and his Nine Muses and the Jewish Mystical Tradition Apollo and his Nine Muses and the Jewish Mystical Tradition Rebbe Nachman of Breslov wrote of the mysteries of the 10 stringed lyre [1] and the music, song, dance and melody pulsating through all creation [2] and often hidden in the depths of the stories, folktales and sciences of the nations. The master storyteller was seen by him as the Master of Prayer [3] a kind of spiritual troubadour. Rebbe Nachman was a true romantic [4] who embraced the Hasidic most-moved Mover [5] as the God of Israel rather than the dry intellectual concept of the Unmoved First Mover of Greek philosophy. The concept of the ten-stringed lyre or harp is at the heart of his Hasidic and kabbalistic understanding of reality. The Greek Mythological concept of the Nine Muses of inspiration reaches into the primeval wisdom (Sophia) of the Greeks.

[6] Behind the masculine mask of the intellectualism of Greek Philosophy is hidden the ever burning wildness of the feminine Greek Mythology of the wild, dancing, singing, leaping world of the creative muses. Homer the earliest of the Greek writers tells of these muses set in a world that has little in common with the male-dominated cultures of the Mediterranean but of the Goddess dominated northern cultures of Europe descended from the lost Tribes of Israel. At the core of the Greek understanding of the nine muses is the concept of the lyre just as it is in the mystical tradition of Israel and of King David. As the words lyric and lyre suggest, in the ancient world lyric poetry and storytelling would be accompanied by the musical instrument of the lyre. [7] This goddess is the Matronita and Holy Wisdom of Biblical and Jewish tradition who has been transformed into the Greek Sophia. This Sophia is embodied in the nine muses. The ten strings of the Davidic lyre represent the sefirot of Jewish mysticism seen in the feminine mirror of the Tree of Life. The Davidic Messiah or Bridegroom of the Song of Songs and Psalm 19 becomes the Apollo of Greek mythology.

The Davidic Queen-Mother and Bride is the Sophia of Greek wisdom. Sophia is also Aphrodite the Goddess of Love and desire. The Greek origin of the term muses comes from the word for desire (mosis). This has a link to Moses and his sister Miriam who led the women in the spiral circle dance at the Red Sea. The circle dance of the nine Muses alludes to this mystical and spiral dance at the heart of all wisdom. This is feminine wisdom –the wisdom of the mother and the Goddess as the one who dances according to the music of the lyre played under Divine Inspiration which is the Divine Will or Desire for Creation. Apollo or the Davidic Messiah is this Sun of the Divine Will who is the Muse-Leader- the one who leads us to join the rounds or spiral circles of Living and Dancing in the Divine Will. This is the source of all man’s wisdom, learning, knowledge, creativity and inspiration. Miriam and the women in the circle spiral dance Joseph Campbell’s understanding of the monomyth as the common pattern that lies hidden within the great mythologies of man can be useful in helping to understand the role of the nine muses in this great mythological wisdom tradition underlining all cultures.

This is the music and melody of the mystical lyre of Apollo and David. Campbell also in his writings writes about the nine muses. He states: “…so are the Muses-clothed in the garments of this world-not opposed to the unclothed Graces, but in triple rhythm (3 times 3) the earthly heralds of their paradisial dance. And they are nine because (as Dante tells of his own Muse, Beatrice) their root (the square root of nine being three) is in the trinity above. Beyond the frightening visage of all-consuming time, the arts-the Muses-initiate us to the enduring harmony of the universe, the planes or aspects of which are controlled by the planets and their spheres…” [8] The three primordial muses that embody the nine Muses were Aoide (song or tune), Melete (practice or occasion) and Mneme (remember) as the daughters of Mnemosyne (Memory personified). Thus Mnemosyne alludes to Miriam and Aoide as the song or tune of her dance of faith (emuna). Melete is the delight or pleasure (taanug) of the dance itself.

Mneme is the choreography of the dance as an act of the Will (ratzon). These three primordial muses represent the three chords of the Mystical Lyre according to Greek mythology. The three muses may also allude to the three tribes of Judah (Aiode), Benjamin (Melete) and Levi (Mneme) who remember the Lord and become cut off from the nine muses and Apollo representing the Lost 10 Tribes of Israel in which Joseph or Ephraim is seen as Apollo. Judah and Aoide represents the Torah or Divine Word, Benjamin and Melete the practice of the mitzvoth (Commandments) and Levi and Mneme the Divine Service (Avodah) of the Temple. The nine Muses thus may represent the nine main areas of academic learning and the arts. Thus the separation of Judah and Israel represent the separation of the Sacred Arts from the Secular or Human Arts and Sciences. The nine desires or muses are the Divine Desire to Create through his sefirot (attributes). Campbell writes “…Now, according to Hesiod (eighth century B.C.), the nine Muses were the daughters of Mnemosyne, "Memory," and Zeus.

Born of Memory, they cause the soul to remember its forgotten higher estate…” [9] . The bearded Zeus alludes to Moses and the concept of desire (Mosis) in Greek. The Greek term Anamnesis (memory or remembrance) is used in the Catholic Faith to describe the Eucharistic Sacrifice or Memorial as it manifests the Divine Life from Eternity into Time. The linking of immemorial and primeval beyond time with the memorial in time is the Eucharistic Mystery that is made present through the Mystery of the Incarnation. This Divine Dance and Song of Remembrance occurs within the heart and womb of the Mother from all Eternity in the mind of God. She ponders or remembers all these things in the depth of her heart (Luke 2:19). She is truly the Sophia or Binah (Understanding) who understands and remembers with the heart. Her heart is like a ten string lute or lyre that plays the Divine Song of Creation with its three –fold chords of the fiats of Creation (Aoide), redemption (Mneme) and sanctification (Melete).

Her crown of twelve stars proclaims her as the Mother of all the twelve Tribes of Israel and the Mother of Wisdom who plays her ten-stringed lyre or harp with three chords which unites all in harmony or unity (Harmonia). This mystical Harmonia is also Gaia (Mother Earth) and Calliope who represents in time the Little Daughter of the Divine Will Luisa Piccarreta. Our Lady of Sion with her Twelve Stars Campbell lists the fourfold categories of the function of mythology in our lives which are Metaphysical, Cosmological, Sociological and Pedagogical. [10] Using Campbell’s fourfold categories of the function of mythology can be helpful as long as we don’t fall into the errors of Campbell of separating mythology from reality by a limited understanding of the use of metaphors. Using the metaphors of mythology and the Old Testament and Jewish traditions doesn’t do away with a literal historical level of understanding. The Metaphysical concerns our relationship in God, the Cosmological our place in the Universe, the Sociological our encounter with our culture and society and the Pedagogical concerns our personal learning and growth as a human person.

The Metaphysical function we can associate with the three primordial Muses, the Cosmological with Apollo the Muse-leader and the muses Urania and Polyhymnia, the Sociological with Erato, Thalia and Tepischore and the Pedagogical with Melopomene, Euterpe and Clio. Calliope who represents the discipline of Theology unites all the Muses as one in the Sophia in perfect harmony (Harmonia). All mythologies have been constructed based on actual events and personalities that have then been mythologised. One can study this literal historical level and still gain much from also the metaphoric use of the myths and stories. The power of the metaphors is that they point to realities in history and in our human lives. In the Church this metaphorical level is called the spiritual senses and are grouped into three- moral (or hermeneutical), allegorical (or symbolic) and anagogical (or mystical). All these metaphors in mythology and in Scripture point to the realities of the incarnation, birth, life, death and resurrection of the God-Man and his mother, St Joseph and Luisa.

Even then these realities can be used in a metaphorical manner to enrich our spiritual and human lives in all areas of learning. We can become a new Daniel or Moses who excel in the Sacred Arts as well as the Secular Arts which all have one source in Holy Wisdom. Daniel represents those who come to faith and the sacred arts first and then study the secular. Moses represents those who learn the secular arts first and then come to faith and the Sacred Arts. Mankind can unite the Song of the three primordial muses with the dance steps of the nine secular muses to create a beautiful culture and society that is in harmony with all Creation so that the Divine Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Pico della Mirandola was a Catholic who used the wisdom of Kabbalah and the Greek wisdom in a deeper exploration of the Catholic mysteries of the faith as a theologia poetica. This draws on the concepts of the nine muses united to the Kabbalistic sefirot. This theologia poetica concept closely reflects the Greek understanding of the creative inspiration for the Arts being rooted in deep poetry. Poetry here has a wider understanding connected with movement, dance, song, music, tune, melody, lyrics and storytelling.

Traditionally the muses' Arts are listed as Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (historical poetry), Euterpe (flutes, music and lyric poetry), Thalia (comedy and pastoral poetry), Melpomene (tragedy, dance and song), Terpsichore (dance, music and delight), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (geometry, grammar and sacred poetry), Urania (astronomy). [11] Today we might list them as Calliope (Theology), Clio (History and Geography), Euterpe (Music), Thalia (Drama), Melpomene (Literature), Terpsichore (Art), Erato (Dance), Polyhymnia (Mathematics), Urania (Physical Sciences). The ancients demonstrate an important point that knowledge and learning is not dry scientific intellectualism but beautiful musical and lyrical poetry that resonates with the soul. [12] "We have forgotten to pray to God with our feet.

We have forgotten that once in the great past a divine being touched us and we were nearer to God." This saying was attributed by my step-grandmother, Madame Nadine (Mirceva) Wulffius, to her teacher Sergei Khudekov the great historian and balletomane of the Russian Imperial Ballet. Wulffius herself was a Ballet Dancer and teacher, choreographer and teacher of the history of Dance trained in the Imperial Ballet in St Petersburg, performing in the Latvian Theatre in its earliest days and running her own ballet schools in Latvia and Australia. [13] The generation of my grandmother in the world of Dance and the Ballet understood the unity and harmony uniting all the Arts. She was not just interested in the techniques of the Dance but the cultures, history, mythology and stories behind the choreography of the dances. A rediscovery of the muses and their connection with Sophia is a truly romantic project needed after the dry intellectualism of the modernist and post –modernist era. Jacob Meskin writes about philosophical thought as “the choreography of the dance of real life” , in an article about the great French Jewish philosopher and thinker Emmanuel Levinas.

[14] This ‘choreography of thought’ transcends the reality of the dance and links the dancer to the tracings (reshimu) of the ‘beyond’ from where inspiration flows. This ‘beyond’ is at the same time primordial and eschatological and can be linked to the concepts of the ten Sefirot within the seven days of the Creation week in Genesis 1. [15] This is the primordial source of Sophia as Apollo and the nine dancing, singing and playing muses (desires). [16] It is from this source that all man’s creativity and inspiration flow. Rebbe Nachman understood this form of storytelling knowledge [17] as a way to reach the generations and to awaken them to the beyond. [18] Levinas in his writings saw the importance of a fruitful encounter between Greek and Hebrew learning [19] that would not be oppositional but a true perceiving and sharing of face to face encounter [20] . However Levinas encounter seems to lack the spontaneous joy and delight found in the Greek Mythology of the poetic muses and Hasidic Judaism.

[21] Greek philosophy separated from Greek mythology becomes a dry and sterile intellectualism just as Kabbalah and legalistic study of Torah cut off from the vibrancy of Mussar and Hasidut also tends towards a dry sterile intellectualism. [22] This intellectualism overemphasises the vertical analytical approach to knowledge and is suspicious of the lateral mystical approach to knowledge and learning that allows a true encounter and sharing of wisdom. [23] The Greek Sophia is represented by the Davidic Queen Mother who is the Mystical Miriam in the feminine array of the Sefirot as the mirror of the Tree of Life who is Son of Man and Adam Kadmon. The Helladic nine muses have their parallels in the matriarchs of the Bible. Urania the oldest of the muses parallels Eve the Mother of all the Living. Polyhymnia parallels Tzadika the wife of Noah who is also known as Emzara as the Mother of the Seed (zera). Erato parallels Sarah the wife of Abraham. Thalia parallels Rebecca the wife of Isaac and Tepsichore parallels Rachel the wife of the Patriarch Jacob.

Melopene parallels Tzipporah the wife of Moses as the Bird of Desire. Euterpe parallels Elisheba the wife of the High Priest Aaron and Clio parallels Asenath the wife of the Patriarch Joseph the Ruler of Egypt. Calliope the Chief of the Muses parallels Bathsheba the first Queen Mother of Judah and Israel the wife of King David and the mother of King Solomon. St Paul lists nine feminine fruits of the Spirit (the uncreated feminine Sophia) which alludes to the nine muses of Greek mythology and literature. Thus Calliope is Eirene (Peace), Clio is Enkrateia (Self-control), Euterpe is Pistis (Faithfulness), Thalia is Prautes (Gentleness), Melpomene is Makrothymia (Patience), Terpsichore is Chrestotes (Kindness), Erato is Agape (Love), Polyhymnia is Chara (Joy), Urania is Agathosyne (Goodness).

[24] The Latin Vulgate lists 12 fruits of the spirit which includes the three primordial muses as Generosity (Xenia), Modesty (Sophrosune) and Chastity (Hagneia). For those called to the celibate consecrated life Generosity (Xenia) becomes Obedience (Hupakoé) to all and modesty (Sophrosune) becomes poverty or simplicity (Haplotes). These three primordial muses embody the Sophia as the Muse of the Muses or Desire of Desires in a unique way. She is the one who Desires to live in Divine Will like a dry thirsting desert (Arabah) longing for water [25] . Miriam and the women at the Red Sea The nine Muses can also be linked to the Nine Wave Maidens who were the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran in Norse Mythology. [26] Miriam means the Bitter Sea or the Lady of the Sea and alludes to the concept of her Living in the Seas or Waters (mayim) of Divine Will. In Norse mythology she is remembered as Ran the Sea Goddess.

[27] Her nine desires or Wave (in Hebrew Gal) Maidens are: Himinglæva - she is the one that through her one can see the heavens which alludes to the concept of the Saphhire Blue pavement or Sea in Judaism, Dúfa - the Pitching or dipping one alludes to the bronze sea or laver, Blóðughadda - Bloody-Hair a reference to red sea foam in the northern Red Sea (wine coloured sea of Homer), Hefring – Riser, Udr- Frothing Wave, Hrönn - Welling Wave, Bylgja Dröfn - Foam-Fleck and Kólga - Cool Wave. [28] This concept of the wave (gal) is linked to the circle spiral (galgal and gilgul) dance of Miriam and the women at the Red Sea. [29] Some scholars associate the nine mothers of Heimdall (a Norse messianic Apollo-like hero) with the nine daughters of Aegir. One also needs discernment as the side of Evil (the Other Side) can pervert and twist this use of mythology and turn it to the other side.

The realm of evil imitates the good- it is never original. The Scriptures speak of the reunion of Judah with the Lost Tribes of Israel, this will involve a unity between Jews (Judah) and Christians (the Lost Tribes). This reunion will be a new encounter between the Greek and Hebrew understandings of Wisdom which will lead to the spiritual Resurrection from the Dead for the Church and the world [30] . It will be a time of a new blossoming of science and the arts seen as a joyous and humble pursuit of wisdom that is rooted in the Divine Revelation of the Incarnation in time and eternity. A focus on the concept of the muses points us to humility. A man who invokes the muses like Homer, Herodotus, Virgil, Hesiod, and Dante and myriad others show that he doesn’t take the glory for his creative endeavour to himself but acknowledges that great inspirations that result in highly creative works have their source in the beyond. They also help us not to make structured systems that are not open to the creative power of love, joy, freedom and festivity of soul.

They help us to see the underlying choreography of the dance of life and its hidden and sweet melodies that unify all under the banner of Holy Wisdom or Sophia who lives and dwells in the divine Will or Desire. If we desire to become like God in his attributes (Sefirot) we will live in the Divine Will or Desire and the fruits of the muses will be ours. We will be Divinised and live in the divine freedom and joy of the Sons and Daughters of God no matter our exterior circumstances and sufferings. This will allow us to give others the freedom to be who they are without them needing to conform to my own belief structures and rules to receive our love and acceptance. We will break open every sealed box and leap forth like the leaping gazelle of the Song of Songs in a river of creative and inspirational activity. Then we will truly live the spirit of the Torah as Sons of the Divine Will and leave behind the mentality of the letter of the Law which enslaves and keeps us in the position of servants. Milton in “Paradise Lost” speaks of his Muse as the Holy Spirit who ascends higher than the muses of the Ancient Greeks.

This is also our Chief Muse the Holy Spirit as the uncreated Sophia united in a synergy with Our Lady the created icon of the Sophia who doesn’t leave behind the other muses but transforms them in the New Covenant and encompasses them within her in order for them to soar and leap with her in the feast of the Divine Will which is also the feast of her Assumption (Illui) into Heaven. The muses also protect us from a pseudo Gnostic emphasis on only the soul or spirit often found in the very heartlands of the Catholic Church. The concept of the muses also emphasises the role of man’s body in singing, dancing and playing in the spiritual and creative endeavour. This wholesome and holistic way is what Christopher Dawson the great 20th century historian calls the erotic life. Dawson writes about the spiritual and mystical Catholic as a man of eroticism, desire and passion like St Francis of Assisi and St Augustine. The muse Erato dancing According to Dawson true erotic love is generous, warm hearted and giving rather than the self-absorbed parsimonious and economic cold "charity" of the bourgeois. Dawson's warning is for all of us who have that hidden closed Pharisaical or Bourgeois mindset within us.

He proclaims: "...The question of the bourgeois involves a real issue which Christians cannot afford to shirk. For it is difficult to deny that there is a fundamental disharmony between bourgeois and Christian civilization and between the mind of the bourgeois and the mind of Christ. But first let us admit that it is no use hunting for the bourgeois. For we are all more or less bourgeois and our civilization is bourgeois from top to bottom. Hence there can be no question of treating the bourgeois in the orthodox communist fashion as a gang of antisocial reptiles who can be exterminated summarily by the revolutionary proletariat; for in order to "liquidate" the bourgeoisie modern society would have to "liquidate" itself...". [31] The muse Erato is linked in Greek Mythology to the God Eros. Dawson champions a Christian ethos that is creative, free, passionate and mystically erotic which owes much to this Catholic tradition of integrating the wisdom of the Romano –Greek culture with that of the Jews. Dawson states:"...Seen from this point of view, it is obvious that the Christian ethos is essentially antibourgeois, since it is an ethos of love. This is particularly obvious in the case of St.

Francis and the mediaeval mystics, who appropriated to their use the phraseology of mediaeval erotic poetry and used the antibourgeois concepts of the chivalrous class-consciousness, such as "adel," "noble," and "gentile," in order to define the spiritual character of the true mystic...". [32] Dawson himself would seem to have drawn on the creative inspiration of the muse of epic history Clio herself. A new Romanticism in education is needed today. The curriculums of the future need to reintroduce the concept of the muses to all areas of learning. The great mythologies and folktales need to be taught as well as the great classics of literature alongside a thorough Biblical education. The boring and dull utilitarian and economic philosophy behind much of higher education today is drying up the wells and springs of true creativity and inspiration. We see the advent of the grey man who tinkers on the edges rather than the man of erotic desire and passion who seeks the holistic panorama of Wisdom and wrestles with Herculean and Jacobean effort with the gods/ God in the beautiful choreography of the Dance of Life.

Let us with the muses desire wisdom in all its many varied patterns and disciplines in order to give God the Glory and for the Kingdom of the Creative, Redemptive and Sanctified Fiat of Divine Will to reign on earth as it does in Heaven. Fiat Lux -Yehi Or- Let there be Light. Apollo watching the nine muses dancing [1] Chanani Haran Smith, Tuning the Soul; Music as a Spiritual Process in the Teachings of Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav , 53. [2] Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, The Wings of the Sun: Traditional Jewish Healing in Theory and Practice, 123. [3] Aryeh Kaplan, The Lost Princess and Other Kabbalistic Tales of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, 250. [4] Chanani Haran Smith, Tuning the Soul; Music as a Spiritual Process in the Teachings of Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav IJS Studies in Judaica Volume 10 (Boston: Brill Academic Publishers, 2009), 59. [5] Abraham J. Heschel, The Prophets, Vol.

II; New York: Harper and Row, 1962. p. 4. [6] Penelope Murray, and Peter Wilson, eds. Music and the Muses: The Culture of'mousikē'in the Classical Athenian City. Oxford University Press, 2004, p. 372-374. [7] Jane McIntosh Snyder. The Woman and the Lyre: women writers in classical Greece and Rome. SIU Press, 1991, p. xi. [8] Joseph Campbell, Creative Mythology: The Masks of God, p.102 [9] Joseph Campbell, Creative Mythology: The Masks of God, p.104 [10] Joseph Campbell. (1969) Lectures II.1.1 The Function of Myth (given at The Esalen Institute in August 1969) [11] “Nine Muses” in James Hall and Kenneth Clark. Dictionary of subjects and symbols in art. J. Murray, 1979. [12] “Muse” Wikipedia. 2015.

< [13] “Nadine Wulffius” Wikipedia 2015. [14] Jacob Meskin, “The Jewish transformation of modern thought: Levinas and Philosophy after the Holocaust” Cross Currents 47.4 (Winter 1997/1998), 505. [15] Brother Gilbert Bloomer, The Mystical Dance: A Rendezvous of Levinas, Jewish Mysticism and Genesis 1 from a Hebrew Catholic Perspective, < p.1 [16] Penelope Murray, and Peter Wilson, eds. Music and the Muses: The Culture of'mousikē'in the Classical Athenian City. Oxford University Press, 2004, p. 372-374. [17] Likutey Moharan Vol. VII 60:6 in Rebbe Nachman of. Breslov Likutey Moharan Vol 7 (Lessons 58-64), Jerusalem/New York: Breslov Research Institute, 2007.

[18] Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, The Lost Princess and Other Kabbalistic Tales of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, (Jerusalem/New York: Breslov Research Institute, 2005), xxi. [19] see Ephraim Meir, Levinas’s Jewish Thought: Between Jerusalem and Athens (Jerusalem: The Hebrew University Magnes Press, 2008). [20] David Patterson, “Emmanuel Levinas: A Jewish thinker” Between Reason and Revelation: the Logic of the Semitic dimension in Philosophy (Apr.-Dec 2006), 603-4. [21] Adriaan T Peperzak, “Judaism and Philosophy in Levinas” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion Vol 40 #3 (Dec.1996), 129.

[22] See Brother Gilbert Bloomer, Jewish Thought [23] See Brother Gilbert Bloomer, Lateral and Mystical Narrative Encounter and Sharing The Muses of Greek Mythology The Muses of Greek Mythology Home > Greek Culture > Greek Mythology > The Muses of Greek… Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek Mythology Comments Off on The Muses of Greek Mythology According to Greek Mythology, artists have a Muse who whispers inspiration into their ears. Without the Muse, the artist wouldn’t be able to create. The Muse is said to help writers, musicians, painters, sculptors, and other creative people. Without the Muse, inspiration wouldn’t exist. Today, we think of the “Muse” as simply a synonym for “inspiration”. To the Ancient Greeks, however, it was much more than that. The Muses were the goddesses of inspiration for the arts, sciences, and literature. There is some debate how many muses there really were. Origin of the Muses The Muses were the daughters of Zeus, the King of the Gods, and Mnemosyne, the Titan goddess of memory. Zeus tricked Mnemosyne by disguising himself as a shepherd.

In one version, they lay together for nine nights. Each night, a different Muse was conceived. In some versions, there were only three Muses. In this instance, Mnemosyne and Zeus were together only three nights. According to the poetry of Sappho, there was a tenth Muse. Historians argue as to why there was such a variation in the number of Muses. Who They Were Each Muse represented different aspects of intellect, thought, and creativity. They were also associated with a certain tool. Here is an overview of who they were and what they represented, according to Hesiod. Calliope was the Muse who represented epic poetry. Her implement was the writing tablet. Clio was the Muse who had to do with history and she was always associated with holding a scroll. Euterpe was the Muse of lyrical poetry and music, and is always shown with an aulos (flute). Thalia represented both comedy and pastoral poetry and she was associated with the comic mask. Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy and her item was the tragic mask. Terpsichore was the Muse of dance and she was always associated with the lyre. Erato was always associated with love poetry.

She had a type of lyre called the cithara. Polyhymnia represented sacred poetry and she was always depicted with a veil. Urania was the Muse of astronomy and she had a globe and compass. In the versions where only three Muses existed, these were Melete, who represented “practice”, Mneme, who represented “memory”, and Aoide, who was the Muse of “song”. However, the most accepted version is that there were Nine Muses with each representing a specific discipline. The Muses were also worshiped extensively, especially in areas where art and intellect were highly valued, such as at the library at Alexandria. Legacy of the Muses The Muses were often mentioned in poetry and literature. Homer, Dante, Virgil, Catullus, Chaucer, Milton and Shakespeare all mention them in their literary works. As you can see, unlike other gods and goddesses, the legacy of the Muses is still felt today. Artists and writers alike often see the source of their art as being divinely inspired. Today, the word “muse” either means “to ponder” or it refers to “someone who creates poetry”.

One thing is certain; Wherever there is creativity and art, there will always be those who create it, regardless of whether or not they believe the Muses are real. This post was written by GreekBoston.com Like this article? Please share below: Starry Messenger: Kepler and Poetry Index Kepler and Poetry Kepler wrote numerous poems which were printed as prefatory material in his publications. Privately too, he was wont to compose poems and inscribe them in his books, for instance in his own copy of Copernicus' On the Revolutions or in an emblem book. A touching poem in memory of his dead wife and son is also extant. Perhaps the most famous poem associated with Kepler is the one accompanying the frontispiece of the Rudolphine Tables (1627). The picture was designed by Kepler and engraved in a more elaborate form by Georg Celer of Nuremberg. The poem was written by Johann Baptist Hebenstreit (rector of the Ulm gymnasium) and entitled the Idyllion (which means a highly wrought, descriptive poem, usually on a pastoral theme). It describes well the meaning of the frontispiece and Kepler's view of the history of astronomy.

The frontispiece of the Rudolphine Tables (1627). Image by kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. Very large image (1M). The picture is of the temple of Urania, the muse of astronomy, and it depicts the progress of the discipline of astronomy through history. Mindful of the fact that the Tables were originally Brahe's project, and in order to appease his heirs, Kepler makes the figure of Tycho Brahe take centre stage. Tycho, in his ermine robe, wearing the medal of an elephant (the highest award from the Danish crown), proudly points out his cosmological model (the earth in the centre of the universe with the sun orbiting around earth, but all the other planets orbiting around the sun) to the seated Copernicus . The title of the book, Rudolphine Tables, hangs down proudly from that cosmological model, possibly an allusion to Tycho's wish that the tables be based on his system. At Tycho's elbow is his book on planetary theories, the Progymnasmata.

Tycho is leaning on an elegant Corinthian column, complete with an achanthus-leaf capital, which proudly displays his instruments, the quadrant and the sextant that perfected observations. The columns that support the temple symbolize by their form and condition the state of astronomical observation through history. The starry heaven is depicted on the floor of the base because it is the foundation on which the observations (columns) are built. Copernicus' column is of a much simpler form, carrying a Jacob's staff and the parallalactic ruler which induced some careless errors in Copernicus' observations. On the column rest also the observations of Regiomontanus and Walther which aided Copernicus' work. The firm, but less elegant columns made of bricks with plenty of cracks flank Brahe and Copernicus and signify the achievements (from left to right) of Aratus, Hipparchus , Ptolemy and Meton. Aratus (4th c. BC) wrote a poem entitled the Phaenomena which explained the configuration of the heavens and their movements; his column sports an armillary sphere . Hipparchus improved on Aratus with a sphere of fixed stars and a catalogue of them.

Ptolemy is depicted with an astrolabe, drawing a diagram. Part of the Greek title of his book, the Almagest , is visible. At the foot of the column is the diagram of a deferent whose centre was removed from the earth. Meton's column shows a dial, showing the Metonic cycle indispensable for calculating the date of Easter. It shows the nineteen-year cycle after which the lunar phases will recur on the same date. At the back, there are two columns made of tree trunks, with stumps, implying the absence of instruments to render them into more elegant shapes. They do not quite reach the heavenly roof, so Kepler has inserted some wedges. In front of these columns stands a Chaldaean astronomer, trying to gauge the angular distance of planets using his fingers. On top of roof of the Temple are six goddesses, signifying the important elements of Kepler's astronomy.

From left to right, they are optics (the shining head of the goddess is creating a shadow of a globe), the telescope , logarithms (holding in her hands rods of the ratio of one to two, and the number around her head showing the natural logarithm of 2: 0.6931472), geometry (with a compass, square-ruler and a diagram of an ellipse), 'stathmica' namely the laws of the lever and balance (the sun at the fulcrum of the balance shows that this is describes Kepler's area law), and magnetics (holding a lodestone and compass). At the summit of the temple is the imperial eagle with his sceptre, showering a few gold coins down to the astronomers. Tycho's island of Hven is depicted in the centre panel of the base. To its left is a portrait of Kepler, with a miniature of the temple and a list of his books. To the right is a portrait of the printer. Music and creativity in Ancient Greece - Tim Hansen | TED-Ed Music and creativity in Ancient Greece - Tim Hansen 218,000 Questions Answered Let’s Begin… You think you love music?

You have nothing on the Ancient Greek obsession. Every aspect of Greek life was punctuated by song: history, poetry, theater, sports and even astronomy. In fact, music was so important to Greek philosopher Plato that he claimed the music we listen to directly affects our ethics. Tim Hansen wonders what Plato might have to say about the music we listen to today. Create and share a new lesson based on this one. About TED-Ed Originals TED-Ed Original lessons feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed original? Nominate yourself here » Meet The Creators Share Additional Resources for you to Explore Who were the Muses?As we’ve mentioned, there is some debate still going on today as to how many muses there were and what they did, but generally scholars agree today that there were nine principle muses. But who were they? There’s a wealth of information about the Muses out on the web, but one of the most straightforward yet detailed pages is on . This webpage lists the Muses by name, their discipline, and gives a thorough account of the mythology surrounding them.

Furthermore there’s other great links to the history of Greek mythology, which is a wealth of fascinating stories guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing! Texts vary slightly on this information, and I encourage you do to your own research on the topic, but the list I settled on in the end is as follows:Calliope, the muse of philosophy and epic poetryErato, the muse of love poetry and the lyreEuterpe, the muse of secular song and the aulos (an ancient Greek flute),Polyhymnia, the muse of sacred song or hymnsTerpsichore, the muse of danceThalia, the muse of comedic theatre and writingMelpomene, the muse of tragic theatre and writingClio, the muse of history,Urania (or Ourania), the muse of Astronomy. Greek MythologyThe Muses are a tiny part of the incredibly rich ancient Greek mythology. Stories from ancient Greece continue to be as entertaining and insightful as they were when they were first told thousands of years ago. These stories would have been sung in verse when they were first conceived, but here, on this great website, you can find ancient Greek stories retold for us today in written and spoken word.

What did ancient Greek music sound like?The ancient Greek world faded over two thousand years ago, and this presents some pretty obvious difficulties for us today when we try to answer the question, “what did ancient Greek music sound like?”. Luckily we have some clues: we know what instruments they used, and some nearby cultures still use techniques that scholars suspect were used by the ancient Greeks. We also are lucky enough to have some tiny scraps of written music from all those centuries ago. This great article outlines how scholars have figured out what they believe music in ancient Greece sounded like, and even includes a recording from a song thousands of years old. The song that is. Not the recording. Obviously. (Teachers: please see additional resources for more guidance on this site) Further Reading:•Anderson, WD. Ethos and Education in Greek Music: the evidence of poetry and philosophy (1966). Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Mass.•D’angour, A. “How did ancient Greek music sound?” BBC News Business. Published 22nd October 2013. Web 26th November 2013.•Grout, DJ. & Palisca, CV.

A History of Western Music (4th ed.) (1988). Norton & Co. Inc: New York.•Plato Republic. Trans. A.D. Lindsay (1969). Dent: London.•Price, AW. Virtue and Reason in Plato and Aristotle (2011). Clarendon Press: Oxford•West, ML. Ancient Greek Music (1992). Clarendon Press: OxfordIf you elect to get one book on this list, I thoroughly recommend getting a copy of Grout and Palisca’s A History of Western Music. This book has been my go-to music bible for a decade, and I am indebted to the authors for inspiring in me a lifelong passion for music history. Their chapter on Music in Antiquity is especially interesting, and is the basis for this lesson. In researching supplementary material for this lesson, I stumbled across a great article on the BBC website discussing what ancient Greek music sounded like .Finally, a thanks to Elizabeth Minchin, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the Australian National University, who read over my lesson to make sure my terminology about all things ancient and Greek were correct.

One of a few things I learned: the Romans wore togas; the Greeks wore tunics. Always learning! Patrick McGrath Muñiz: Apollo and the Muses in an Archetypal context. Apollo and the Muses in an Archetypal context. Detail of Oil on Canvas painting "The Gathering" by Patrick McGrath Muñiz (2014) On my last blog post I started to explore the subject of the Muses and how they are actively participating in the creative act. Now it would be good to get to know a little more about each one of the nine Muses, their archetypal functions and how they may influence particular aspects of our art. These re-interpretations derive from a study of Archetypal Astrology as well as Classical Mythology. Although the number of Muses varies from source to source, the tradition has held on to the number 9 plus Apollo, the leader of the Muses making 10 in the end. There seems to be an interesting correspondence between them and the ten principal archetypes discussed in Cosmos and Psyche by Richard Tarnas.

Just as Tarnas brings back these mythical planetary figures into a contemporary world perspective, I would like to explore the Muses in both a personal and transpersonal context. Interestingly the Muses posses a concrete form as asteroids and already have an astrological significance in themselves. Aware of this I still believe they are reflected in the ten major planetary archetypes as well. This is just another approach in order to understand these goddesses of inspiration. Study for Muse by Patrick McGrath Muñiz Calliope The "fair voice" Muse of epic poetry, inspiration for the oldest works of Western Literature, the Illiad and the Odyssey (Homer's Muse) and mother of Orpheus. She is the eldest of the Muses who also bestowed eloquence to kings and princes. Calliope is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory). Her wisdom and centrality among the nine Muses often recalls the image of Mother Earth. Once thought to be the center of the Universe, our planet still is the source of all life as we know it. When it comes to artistic creations, Calliope is the muse who tells the epic story of humanity while nurturing our internal artist child.

She guides Orpheus to create the most beautiful music in the world, music that not only soothes his fellow humans but all animals and plants, Gaia's children. She blesses all artists, musicians, writers, researches, astrologers, who are sincere as children in their art and are devoted to the creation of epic works. Calliope by Marcello Bacciarell, 18th century Clio The 'renown' muse of History, mother of Hyacinth, usually depicted holding a scroll or tablet and pen. Clio is also known as 'The Proclaimer'. She oversees historians, teachers, historical novelists and narrative painters. Clio helps us understand that history is not linear but cyclical, involving life, death and rebirth. History is the story of a never ending human evolution and constant transformation on every level (social, economic, political, environmental and cultural). These qualities have an interesting resemblance with the astrological Pluto, who rules over death, destruction, decay but also regeneration and rejuvenation, all vital ingredients in the cyclic art of history. G. Santayana once said “Those who cannot remember their past are condemned to repeat it".

History can be personal as well as collective and if we can learn from both and find the connections, our purpose in life and art can attain a higher ground. Clio reminds us of the importance of history in order to make art that is meaningful and relevant not only to our own time but to all times. Clio, by Charles Meynier, Oil on Canvas, 1798 Erato Her name meaning 'Lovely' or 'delightful' presents her as the muse of lyric poetry or songs, especially when it’s based on erotic love. The association here with Venus, the Goddess of Love is quite obvious and while Aphrodite, her Greek counterpart was specially inclined towards erotic love along with her son Eros (cupid), the planet Venus in astrology has a much broader archetypal meaning. As Erato, she presides over love and erotic feelings but her energy extends beyond to also preside over beauty, the senses and all kinds of love relationships. She has the power to attract things or have you feel attracted to something or someone. She might be the most central muse in art as he is "beauty" itself.

Surround yourself by beautiful objects and images; work in a beautiful setting so you may be constantly reminded of what making art is all about. But as we can see there are nine Muses and more aspects to art than simply being beautiful. Erato by Sir Edward John Poynter, 1870 Euterpe Her name means 'gladness' or 'giver of delight' (flute playing) and she is the Muse of music and elegiac poetry. Most artists that work with music knows how much easier it is to make art while listening to beautiful music. This is precisely the realm of Euterpe, Muse of all music and musicians. The English word for music derives from the words Musica in Latin and "Mousike techne" (art of the Muses) in Greek. It is also the origin of the term "Muse". Before Apollo became the god of music, Mercury/Hermes invented the lyre out of a tortoise shell and he was also said to be the teacher of Amphion, the first harpist. In astrology Mercury is the ruler of communications, trade, travel, signs, symbols, notes, reading and writing.

Similarities between Euterpe and astrological Mercury may not be apparent immediately but when one thinks of the creation of music and how it is transmitted, we can see how Mercury plays an important role in its composition and dissemination. I always find it very inspiring to paint with music in the background. From Ancient, to Classical or New Age to New Wave, Pop and Folk, beautiful music comes in so many different languages, and different expressions and it probes highly inspirational while working. Euterpe, School of Giovanni, Francesco Romanelli, Oil on panel, 1662 Melpomene The 'singing' Muse of tragedy is usually represented with a tragic mask. The Muse that brings inspiration through feelings of loss, pain and tragedy, she shares territory with Saturn, the planet/god of suffering, and endurance through hardships and discipline. This type of energy relates with the satisfaction we get out of hard labor and strenuous work but also by sadness and feelings of melancholy which can also be inspiring. Well structured work schedules and appropriate setting that gets us to work hard, will be well suited for Melpomene. As the saying goes: "No pain no gain".

Melpomene, a carved marble bust after the antique, Italian late 18th or early 19th century Polyhymnia Polyhymnia means 'Many songs' and she is the Muse of sacred hymns, dance, agriculture and pantomime. She is also one of the most quiet and serious of the Muses. Polyhymnia the muse of many songs and many gods is uniquely spiritual and solemn in her movements. She comes to us in our quietest moments, when we are at peace with the world and let our soul drift and float in the infinite ocean of the cosmic creation. Just like Neptune, the planet of illusion, holistic visions of Utopia and transcendence, Polyhymnia embraces all channels of understanding and becomes all and one at the same time. Incense, prayer and quiet environments attract her presence. As an angel of God, she elevates our soul and aids us in creating art that is sacred and ethereal. She blesses poets, gardeners, healers, mystics, painters and all artists and musicians devoted to creating art that evokes the Divine.

Polyhymnia by Joseph Fagnani Oil painting on canvas, 1869 Terpsichore Terpsichore is 'Joy in the dance', the Muse of dance and lyric poetry and also said to be the mother of the Sirens. Professional dancers, athletes and fitness trainers understand the creative beauty of the human body and this is precisely the area of Terpsichore. Physical exercise is as vital as mental exercise when it comes to creativity. A healthy body that is well balanced and harmonious will become the appropriate temple a healthy creative spirit. As a painter I find that the study of human anatomy should not only be about drawing the human figure but also involve becoming physical and developing physical intelligence and grace. As one of the seven Da Vincian principles: “Corporalita” proposes an art that requires the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise. In archetypal terms, Mars, the planet of passion, discipline, determination and physical impulse immediately comes to mind. Terpsichore by Johan Heinrich, 1759 Thalia Her name means has several meanings from 'Abundance’, ‘to bloom’ to ‘good cheer' and she is the Muse of Comedy..

Thalia is the most jovial of all Muses, reason why she becomes closely related to Jupiter, "The Greater Benefic" that brings abundance, growth, optimism and a good supply of laughter. Her place among the nine Muses shows us the importance of a good sense of humor in any art form and that we should not take ourselves too seriously all the time. There are plenty of references to be inspired by which can be found mostly in contemporary pop culture. TV personalities, comedians and artists who use parody and satire in their creations are blessed by this goddess. Every once in a while it does well to lighten up, laugh and have fun right before or while creating an artwork. Thalia, by Jean-Marc Nattier Urania The muse of Astronomy/Astrology and therefore could foretell the future by the placement of the stars. Being associated with Uranus, the planet that rules not only astrology but scientific revolution, social upheaval, sudden breakthroughs, technology and modernity, Promethean in nature, Urania can be called the Muse for contemporary artists, astrologers, psychic and mystics. Techno/Synth Pop music that is often fasted paced and futuristic is quite appropriate to invoke her.

Urania loves the new, innovative and future driven creations. That is why she points up to the starry skies and reminds us where we truly come from. Urania by Simon Vouet Apollo Olympian god of Music, the Arts and Prophecy, he is the leader of the Muses. Apollo, the Sun god reminds us that as our solar system has a bright core from which everything else orbits, in the same way, our motives, dreams and creations orbit our creative spirit, our center. Every one of us carries within an internal Sun that illuminates and gives life to our art. We just have to become aware of it and let it shine. As the planets orbit around our Sun, the Muses revolve around our Soul influencing and inspiring us to create art that engages more than one aspect in this archetypal Cosmos. Apollo of Belvedere, marble antique. Posted by

Question: Urania is the muse of which discipline?
Answer: Astronomy